Defending Super Bowl champions the Seattle Seahawks came from behind to secure a 13-10 victory over the New England Patriots on Thursday, marking the first time in a decade that the NFL season opened with a rematch of the championship game.
The contest at Lumen Field saw Seattle’s defense, known as ‘the Dark Side,’ rise to the occasion after starting quarterback Sam Darnold suffered a hip injury during the opening drive. Backup Drew Lock stepped in to lead the offense while the defense recorded three crucial interceptions in the final quarter to preserve the win.
New England jumped out to an early 10-0 lead, highlighted by rookie tight end Eli Raridon catching the first touchdown of the 2026 season in the second quarter.
Seattle began to chip away at the deficit late in the third quarter when Lock helped spark the offense, leading to a field goal by kicker Jason Myers that narrowed the gap to three points.
The fourth quarter proved decisive. Cornerback Nehemiah Pritchett recorded his first career interception off a Drake Maye pass deflected by rookie Rodney Thomas. Shortly after, Lock connected with wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba for a 45-yard touchdown, giving Seattle its first lead of the game.
Julian Love added another interception to seal the momentum, allowing Myers to extend the lead to 13-10 with a 26-yard field goal. With just 21 seconds remaining, the Patriots found themselves in field-goal range but opted to go for the win rather than force overtime. The strategy failed as Maye’s desperation throw intended for Mack Hollins was intercepted by Josh Jobe in the end zone.
Maye, who threw only one interception all of last season aside from the Super Bowl, was picked off on New England’s final three possessions of the game.
Head coach Mike Macdonald confirmed after the match that initial assessments indicated Darnold had not fractured his hip.
Week One action continues on Friday with the Los Angeles Rams facing the San Francisco 49ers in Melbourne, Australia, for the league’s first regular-season international game.
Interesting that New England went for the win instead of overtime. Bold move, even if it backfired completely.
Great win for Seattle, but Maye choked hard in the final minutes. That onside throw was a bad call.
I’m still shocked Darnold went down so early. How will the offense manage without him for long?
That final pick by Jobe was pure drama. Seattle’s defense really stepped up when it mattered most.